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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT01723410

Neural and Physiological Responses to Real-World Experiences

UCLA researchers looking for healthy individuals (aged 35-50) who have a home computer with internet access, are not pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or currently breastfeeding (if female), to participate in a study investigating whether real-world experiences alter the brain and body. This study takes place over an eight week period and involves providing the names of 8 close friends or family members, completing a neuroimaging session, providing blood and saliva (for genetic analysis), and a 6-week period in which participants login twice a week to complete online questionnaires. Compensation is up to $210 for those who complete all aspects of the study. Please email [email protected] for more information.

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Key information

Conditions

Gene Expression

Age range

35 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

UCLA CTRC & Brain Mapping Center

Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Healthy adults between the ages of 35-50

Exclusion criteria

Following a structured telephone interview, prospective participants with the following conditions will not be able to participate:

  • claustrophobia, left-handedness, or presence of metal in their body (for the neuroimaging procedures),
  • possible presence of a depressive disorder, which may interfere with the gratitude intervention (assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire; Spitzer et al., 1999),
  • regular use of medications that may impact inflammatory processes (anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, opioids),
  • current smokers or excessive caffeine users (> 600 mg/day) because of known effects on inflammation, and
  • pregnancy (which would affect oxytocin gene expression).

Treatment and study plan

Writing about people

Behavioral

Subjects will be asked to write about other people in their lives once a week for 6-weeks.

Writing about places, objects

Other

Primary outcomes

  1. inflammatory gene expression

    Time frame: baseline, six weeks post manipulation

    Changes in inflammatory gene expression from pre- to post-intervention.

Secondary outcomes

  1. neural activity

    Time frame: baseline, six weeks post-intervention

    Changes in neural activity from pre- to post-intervention.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of California, Los Angeles

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2013
Primary completion
2015
Study completion
2015
First posted
Nov 7, 2012
Registry last updated
Dec 11, 2015

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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